Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a payment to people that have no income. Outlines the conditions for entitlement to Supplementary Welfare Allowance including the means test.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance rates from January 2011

Supplementary Welfare Allowance maximum rate for people aged 25 and over

Personal rate

Increase for a Qualified Adult

Increase for a Qualified Child

Maximum rate

€186

€124.80

€29.80

Supplementary Welfare Allowance maximum rate for people under 25

Age

Personal rate

Increase for a Qualified Adult

18 - 19

€100

€100

20 - 21

€100

€100

22 - 24

€144

€124.80

You will normally qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance if you satisfy the following conditions:

You are living in the state

You satisfy the means test

You have applied for any other benefit/allowance you may be entitled to

You satisfy the habitual residence test, except for the Exceptional Needs Payment. EU/EEA workers and Swiss nationals working here will satisfy the habitual residence condition. However, people from the EU/EEA or Switzerland who move to Ireland in search of employment are subject to the habitual residence test in the normal way while looking for work.

You have registered for work with FÁS if you are of working age

You will not normally qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance if you are:

In full-time work, that is, working for more than 30 hours per week

In full-time education

Involved in a trade dispute. However, you may claim Supplementary Welfare Allowance for your dependants

You should apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance to the Community Welfare Officer at your local health centre as soon as the need arises. You must fill in a Supplementary Welfare Allowance claim form, but the Community Welfare Officer can help you with this. To help process your claim, you should have the following: